What is the Difference Between Plagiocephaly and Craniosynostosis

The key difference between plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis is that plagiocephaly is a medical condition that develops when the soft skull of a baby becomes flattened in one area due to repeated pressure on that area, while craniosynostosis is a medical condition that develops when the bones of the skull of the baby join together too early before the brain is fully grown.

Plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis are two medical conditions that are present at birth in babies. Both these conditions affect the skull of the baby. Plagiocephaly is a common condition. However, craniosynostosis is a very rare condition. Both these conditions can be treated non-surgically.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Plagiocephaly
3. What is Craniosynostosis
4. Similarities – Plagiocephaly and Craniosynostosis
5. Plagiocephaly vs Craniosynostosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Plagiocephaly vs Craniosynostosis

What is Plagiocephaly?

Plagiocephaly is a medical condition that develops when the soft skull of a baby becomes flattened in one area due to repeated pressure on one part of the head. It is a very common condition and is treatable. Many babies develop this condition due to sleeping in one position. Moreover, this condition is more often seen in premature infants with soft or pliable skulls. The only symptom of plagiocephaly is the fattened appearance on one side of the head of the baby. It is not usually painful and does not affect day to day life of the baby. The main cause of plagiocephaly is sleeping regularly in one position. The other possible causes may include the position in the womb, prematurity, and muscular torticollis.

Plagiocephaly is diagnosed through physical examination and medical history. Furthermore, plagiocephaly is usually treated non-surgically. The treatment options for plagiocephaly may include position changes (changing baby’s sleeping and resting position), exercises (certain neck exercises), placing a plagio cradle under the baby’s head, and corrective helmets. In addition, babies with plagiocephaly are often examined by plastic surgeons or neurosurgeons in order to make sure they do not have craniosynostosis.

What is Craniosynostosis?

Craniosynostosis is a medical condition that develops when the bones of the skull of the baby join together too early before the brain is fully grown. This gives the head a misshapen appearance. Therefore, this condition is characterized by a misshapen skull and the development of a raised, hard ridge along the affected sutures with a change in the head shape. Craniosynostosis is mainly caused by a combination of genes and environmental factors. Sometimes, genetic syndromes such as Apert syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome, or Crouzon syndrome can cause this condition.

Craniosynostosis can be diagnosed through physical examination, imaging studies (CT scan, MRI, and cranial ultrasound), and genetic testing. Furthermore, treatment options for craniosynostosis may include putting on a molded helmet and surgery (endoscopic surgery and open surgery).

What are the Similarities Between Plagiocephaly and Craniosynostosis?

• Plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis are two medical conditions present since birth in babies.
• They affect the skull of the baby.
• Both these conditions can be present at the same time in a baby.
• They can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
• Both these conditions can be treated non-surgically.

What is the Difference Between Plagiocephaly and Craniosynostosis?

Plagiocephaly is a medical condition that develops when the soft skull of a baby becomes flattened in one area due to repeated pressure on that area, while craniosynostosis is a medical condition that develops when the bones of the skull of the baby join together too early before the brain is fully grown. Thus, this is the key difference between plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis. Furthermore, plagiocephaly is a very common condition, while craniosynostosis is a rare condition.

The below infographic presents the differences between plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Plagiocephaly vs Craniosynostosis

Plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis are two birth defects in infants. Both these conditions affect the skull of the baby. Plagiocephaly develops when the soft skull of a baby becomes flattened in one area due to repeated pressure on that area. On the other hand, craniosynostosis develops when the bones of the skull of the baby join together too early before the brain is fully grown. So, this is the key difference between plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis.

Reference:

1. “Plagiocephaly.” Boston Children’s Hospital.
2. “Craniosynostosis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Plagiocéphalie” By Gzzz – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Sutures – from top” By Xxjamesxx, cropped by was_a_bee – File:Sutures from top.png (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia